This is a zine dedicated to black metal written by a follower of the left hand path, This zine has been around in a different format for a while and I have decided to make an edition for www.blogger.com, for more information email occultblackmetalzine@yahoo.com, new albums as well as classic albums will be reviewed on here as long as their good quality black metal,

Sunday, June 30, 2013

This is a review of another recording from Zimumm with the musical style this time around being raw and primitive sounding black metal with elements of folk music with the ep being called "Lobishome" and released by This Winter Will last Forever.

Drums range from slow, mid paced to fast drumming with a good amount of blast beats being thrown into the music, while the flutes and folk instruments bring a very atmospheric, medieval and pagan feeling to the ep along with a brief use of synths which bring in the ambient elements, as for the bass playing it has a very strong and powerful sound with heavy and primitive black metal riffing that dominates throughout the recording.

Rhythm guitars range from slow, mid paced to fast black metal riffs that are very raw and primitive sounding with some melody being thrown into the riffing at times and there are no guitar solos or leads present on this recording, as for the acoustic guitars they use finger picking and full chords to enhance the folk elements of the ep.

Vocals are mostly grim sounding black metal screams with some spoken word parts being utilized at times as well as a brief use of clean singing, while the lyrics are written in Irish Gaellic and cover werewolves and Northern folk tales, as for the production it has a very dark, raw and primitive sound while you can still hear all of the musical instruments that are present on this ep with only one of the songs being long and epic in length.

In my opinion this is another great sounding recording from Zinumm and if you are a fan of atmospheric, raw and primitive black metal with elements of folk and ambient, you should check out this ep. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Lobishome" and "Oevea, oevea, solitaro, (tenho lobos, tenho sombras)". RECOMMENDED BUY.

This is a review of the second volume of Ambient Works from Zinumm which continues their approach to dark ambient/drone with the ep being self released in 2012.

Synths bring a very dark ambient sound to the recording along with some drones and noise's which also add in the experimental elements to the ep, while the wind organ's bring in some medieval elements along with some field recordings.

Vocals and song writing are all absent from this recording with the music being all instrumental, while the songs themes cover Irish Paganism and European folklore, as for the production the music was all recorded live and has a very dark, raw and primitive sound to it with the only song being very long and epic in length.

In my opinion this is another great sounding ep from Zinumm and if you are a fan of dark ambient/drone, you should check out this recording. RECOMMENDED BUY.

This is a review of another recording from Zinumm with the music this time around being dark ambient with the ep being self released in 2012 and called "Ambient Works Vol 1.".

Synths bring a very dark ambient sound to the music along with some experimental elements, while the drones and noises bring in the louder elements of the recording and there are no other music instruments being present on this ep.

Vocals and song writing are mostly absent from this recording with the music being all instrumental except for some spoken word parts that are used towards the end of the song, while the song themes cover Irish Paganism and European folklore, as for the production it has a very dark, raw and primitive sound with the only song present on this recording being very long and epic in length.

In my opinion this is another great sounding recording from Zinumm and if you are a fan of dark ambient/drone, you should check out this ep. RECOMMENDED BUY.

Zinumm are a 1 man band from Spain that h as been featured before in this zine with a musical style on this recording I would describe as being raw and primitive sounding black metal with elements of dark ambient and this is a review of their self released and self titled 2011 album.

Drums range from slow, mid paced to fast drumming with a good amount of blast beats being thrown into the music, while the synths bring a very dark, atmospheric and ambient sound to the album, as for the bass playing it has a very dark tone with riffs that follow the riffing that are coming out of the guitars.

Rhythm guitars range from slow, mid paced to fast atmospheric black metal riffs that are very dark, raw and primitive sounding with some ambient elements and melody being thrown into the riffing and there are no guitar solos or leads present on this recording, as for the acoustic guitars when they are utilized use finger picking and full chords to add some medieval elements to the album.

Vocals are mostly grim sounding black metal screams along with a brief use of clean singing, while the lyrics are written in Irish Gaelic and cover European Folklore themes, as for the production it has a very dark, raw and primitive sound with some of the songs being long and epic in length.

In my opinion this is another great sounding recording from Zinumm and if you are a fan of raw and primitive sounding atmospheric black metal with elements of ambient, you should check out this album. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "

Saturday, June 29, 2013

Loss Of Self are a band from Australia that plays a mixture of raw and primitive sounding black metal and post punk and this is a review of their self released and self titled 2012 demo.

Drums range from slow, mid paced to fast drumming with some blast beats being thrown into the music, while the bass playing has a very strong and powerful sound with heavy riffing that dominates throughout the recording.

Rhythm guitars range from slow, mid paced to fast riffs that combine raw and primitive sounding black metal with post punk to create a sound of their own with some melody being thrown into the riffing and there are no guitar solos or leads present on this recording.
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Vocals are all high pitched black metal screams, while the lyrics cover philosophical themes, as for the production it has a very dark, raw and primitive sound while you can still hear all of the musical instruments that are present on this recording.

In my opinion Loss Of Self are a very great sounding hybrid of black metal and post punk and if you are a fan of this musical genre, you should check out this band. RECOMMENDED TRACK "Seidlitz". RECOMMENDED BUY.

4: We draw heavy influence from Nordic Black Metal bands, so we aimed to incorporate this into our name. We combined the word "Nordic" and "Slaughter" to form Nor/Slaughter.

5. What are some of the best shows that the band has payed so far and how would you describe your stage performance?

5: We have played at a black mass for a local religious group called the Metathanastic Satanists. In our performance we have our lead singer breathe fire, heavy eye contact with our crowd, and include gracious amounts of pig's blood while we emulate the demons of the underworld.

6. Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?

6: No way Jose.

7.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or received any interest?

1. Can you give us an update on what is going on with the project these days?

Currently there are two different projects going on. The first one is an EP more related with neofolk/drone/ambient music, not exactly the 3rd "Ambient works", cos it´s gonna be more extended and complex, musically and conceptually. It can be described as a hybrid between "B E I T H" and "Ambient works". The second one is the new LP, that´s gonna be totally more black metal, sonically speaking.

2. How would you describe the musical sound of the newer material and how it differs from previous efforts?

If we speak about the new album (not the EP), it´s gonna be more dense and atmospheric. Longer songs, drone-folk inspiration but translated into electricity, i mean, with electric instruments. If you listen to Sangre de Muerdago´s cover on Z I N V M M´s bandcamp site, you can approach a little to the new sound. In fact, that song´s gonna be included on the album.

3. The lyrics cover Irish, Gaellic and European Folklore, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?

I´m from the north of Spain, i´m just worshipping my roots & my origins. I wouldn´t like these folklorical traditions be lost in time, so who else´s gonna maintain them but people from there?.

4. You have done both black metal and ambient albums, out of the 2 style which one do you prefer to perform as a musician?

Each one of them has its place in Z I N V M M´s timeline, so it´s obvious when i´d been more comfortable with each...should i say "genre"?.

5. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the projects name?

OUBA.

6. Currently there is only 1 member in the band, do you plan on using musicians in the future or do you choose to remain solo/

In fact i don´t play all instruments. In "B E I T H" for example you can find a lot of different instruments played by other musicians who kindly collaborated in such an ambitious song. And of course, i will need some people for live concerts, etc.

7. Currently you are signed to This Winter Will Last Forever, can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

They are kind people who spend part of their lives working on this, call it "scene", "underground" or whatever.

8.Recently you put out a split with Awylwin, what are your thoughts on the other band that participated?

I can say exactly the same as in question #7.

9. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black metal and ambient?

All of them almost positive, just found a couple of negative reviews. The most weird and bizarre was one that, don´t ask me why, talked about someone who jacked off his dog for "relieving the dog´s sexual tension", then made some questions about it, and then talked about "Lobishome" EP. It´s a crazy, crazy world, i guess.

10. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?

North

11. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

Munruthel are a band from Ukraine that has been featured before in this zine with the musical style on this recording being dark ambient instead of the pagan/black metal that is found on the other releases and this is a review of their 1997 album "Yav, Nav i Prav" which was released by Gardirika Musikk.

Drums when they are utilized are slow slow tribal beats, while the synths bring a very dark, atmospheric, ambient and dungeon sound to the music and they are the main instrument on this recording.

Vocals when they are utilized range very distorted industrial style vocals and some clean singing which enhances the pagan elements of the recording as well as some samples in addition there is a brief use of spoken word parts, while the song themes cover Slavic Paganism and Nature, as for the production it has a very dark, raw and primitive sound to it with most of the songs being long and epic in length.

In my opinion this is another great sounding recording and if you are a fan of pagan/ dark ambient, you should check out this album. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Father-Sun (Sunrise)" "Fern Flowering (Kupala-Night)" "Destroyed By The Gold Crosses" and "Initiation Of Spring". RECOMMENDED BUY.

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Gaoth Anair are a 1 man band from New Zealand that plays a very grim, raw and primitive form of atmospheric black metal and this is a review of their self released 2001 demo "Sochraid".

Drums range from slow, mid paced to fast drumming with some blast beats being thrown into the music at times, while the bass playing has a very dark tone with riffs that follow the riffing that are coming out of the guitars.

Rhythm guitars range from slow, mid paced to fast atmospheric black metal riffs that are very dark, raw and primitive sounding in the old school vein and there are no guitar solos or leads present on this recording, as for the acoustic guitars which are only used on the last song use finger picking to enhance the dark atmosphere of the demo.

Vocals are mostly grim sounding black metal screams along with a brief use of clean singing chanting and spoken word parts as well as a brief use of nature samples, while the lyrics cover fantasy, and darkness themes, as for the production it has a very dark, lo-fi, raw, and primitive sound in the 90's black metal vein.

In my opinion Gaoth Anair are a v ery great sounding raw and primitive atmospheric black metal band that got over looked in the end because they signed to a crappy label that had bands that where the total antithesis of black metal what black metal stands for, which the person in this project did not support himself, but if you are a fan of this musical genre, you should check out this recording. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Eternal Winter" and "Under The Twilight". RECOMMENDED BUY.

Moradin are a band from Calgary, Alberta, Canada that plays a very nature orientated form of atmospheric black metal and this is a review of their self released 2012 ep "Awakening".

Drums range from slow, mid paced to fast drumming with a good amount of blast beats being thrown into the music, while the bass playing has a very dark tone with riffs that follow the riffing that are coming out of the guitars and at times they have a very powerful sound to them, as for the synths when they are utilized bring a very dark, a tmospheric and ambient sound to the recording.

Rhythm guitars range from slow, mid paced to fast atmospheric black metal riffs that utilize some raw and primitive parts as well as melody and post rock elements in the riffing to create a sound of their own, while the lead guitars are very melodic sounding post black metal guitar solos and leads, as for t he acoustic guitars when they are utilized use finger picking to enhance the dark atmosphere of the ep.

Vocals are mostly grim sounding black metal screams with some clean singing being utilized at times, while the lyrics cover nature worship, death and the spirit, as for the production it has a very dark, heavy, raw and primitive sound with the last song being very long and epic in length and you can hear all of the musical instruments that are present on this recording.

In my opinion Moradin are a very great sounding nature orientated, atmospheric post black metal band and if you are a fan of this musical genre, you should check out this ep. RECOMMENDED TRACK "A Cascade Of Spirit". RECOMMENDED BUY.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Fifteen Dead are a band from Scotland that plays a mixture of raw and primitive sounding black metal and crust punk and this is a review of their self released and self titled 2011 demo.

Drums range from slow, mid paced to fast drumming with a good amount of blast beats being thrown into the music, while the bass playing has a very dark tone with riffs that follow the riffing that are coming out of the guitars.

Rhythm guitars range from slow, mid paced to fast riffs that combine raw and primitive sounding black metal with crust punk to create a sound of their own with some dark sounding melodies being thrown into the riffing as well as a brief use of soft and clean playing, while the lead guitars are very melodic sounding black metal guitar solos and leads.

Vocals range from crust punk style shouting to high pitched black metal screams, while the lyrics cover anti religious and political themes, as for the production it has a very heavy, raw and primitive sound to it.

In my opinion Fifteen Dead are a very great sounding hybrid of raw and primitive sounding black metal and c rust punk and if you are a fan of this musical genre, you should check out this band. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "This Is Scotland" and "Our Birth Spells The Death Of God". RECOMMENDED BUY.

This is a review of a split album between California's Aylwin and Oregon's Stellar Descent which was self released and we will start off the review with Aylwin which continues their atmospheric approach to cascadian black metal.

Drums range from slow, mid paced to fast drumming with some blast beats being thrown into their song at times, while the bass playing has a very dark tone with riffs that follow the riffing that are coming out of the guitars, as for the synths they are only used towards the end of t he song and bring a very dark and atmospheric sound to their side of the recording.

Rhythm guitars range from slow, mid paced to fast cascadian black metal riffs that are very atmospheric, raw and primitive sounding with some melody being thrown into the riffing, while the lead guitars are very atmospheric sounding post black metal guitar solos and leads, as for the acoustic guitars they use finger picking and full chords to add some folk music elements to their side of the recording.

Vocals are mostly high pitched black metal s creams with some clean singing female vocals, while the lyrics cover nature and atavism themes, as for the production it has a very heavy, raw and primitive sound with their only song being very long and epic in length.

In my opinion this is another great sounding recording from Aylwin and if you are a fan of cascadian black metal, you should check out their side of the split. RECOMMENDED.

Next up is Stellar Descent a 1 man band that plays a very nature orientated form of cascadian black metal.

Drums range from slow, mid paced to fast drumming with a good amount of blast beats being thrown into the music, while the bass playing has a very dark tone with riffs that follow the riffing that are coming out of the guitars.

Rhythm guitars range from slow, mid paced to fast cascadian black metal riffs that are very atmospheric, raw and primitive sounding with some post rock melodies being thrown into the riffing, while the lead guitars are very melodic sounding post black metal guitar solos and leads, as for the acoustic guitars they use finger picking and full chords to add more post rock elements to their side of the recording.

Vocals are all high pitched black metal screams, while the lyrics cover nature themes, as for the production it has a very heavy, raw and primitive sound with their only song being very long and epic in length.

In my opinion Stellar Descent are a very great sounding cascadian black metal band with the best music on this split and if you are a fan of this musical genre, you should check out their side of the split. RECOMMENDED.

In conclusion this is a very great sounding split and if you are a fan of cascadian black metal, you should add this album to your collection. RECOMMENDED BUY.

This is a review of a split album between California's Aylwin and Spain's Zinvmm which was released by Red River Family Records in 2012 and we will start of the review with Aylwin with their music style this time around being a very raw and primitive form of atmospheric, cascadian post black metal.

Drums range from slow, mid paced to fast drumming with some blast beats being utilized at times, while the bass playing has a very dark tone with riffs that follow the riffing that are coming out of the guitars, as for the synths they are only used on the intro and bring a very dark and atmospheric sound to their side of the recording along with another short song using some ambient sounding nature samples.

Rhythm guitars range from slow, mid paced to fast cascadian black metal riffs that are very atmospheric, raw and primitive sounding with some melody and post rock elements being thrown into the riffing as well as some soft and clean playing being utilized at times, while the lead guitars are very dark sounding post black metal guitar leads, as for the acoustic guitars when they are utilized they use finger picking and full chords to add more atmospheric and progressive elements to their side of the split.

Vocals are all high pitched black metal screams, while the lyrics cover nature and atavism themes, as for the production it has a very heavy, raw and primitive sound with most of the songs being long and epic in length.

In my opinion this is another great sounding recording from Aylwin and if you are a fan of atmospheric, cascadian black metal, you should check out their side of the split. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Hymns" and "Hymns III". RECOMMENDED.

Next up is Zinvmm a band from Spain that plays black metal influenced form of folk music .

Drums range from slow to mid paced drumming with no fast playing or blast beats being present on their side of the recording along with some shamanistic style percussion work, while the bag pipes bring a Celtic folk music sound to their song along with some dark sounding synths.

Vocals and song writing are all absent from their side of the recording with the music being all instrumental, while the song themes cover Gaellic folklore, as for t he production it has a very dark, raw and primitive sound with their only song being long and epic in length.

In my opinion Zinvm are a very great sounding black metal influenced folk music project, and if you are a fan of this musical genre, you should check out their side of the recording. RECOMMENDED.

In conclusion I feel this is a very great sounding split and if you are a fan of cascadian black metal and neo-folk music, you should add this album to your collection. RECOMMENDED BUY.

Aylwin are a band from California that plays a very atmospheric form of cascadian black metal and this is a review of their 2012 demo "Soil And Cold" which was released by Atlatl Music Group.

Drums range from slow, mid pacedto fast playing with some blast beats being present on this recording, while the synths bring a very dark, atmospheric and ambient sound to the music, as for the bass playing it has a very dark tone with riffs that follow the riffing that are coming out of the guitars.

Rhythm guitars range from slow, mid paced to fast cascadian black metal riffs that are very dark and atmospheric sounding with a good amount of melody being thrown into the riffing, while the lead guitars are very dark sounding post black metal guitar solos and leads, as for the acoustic guitars when they are utilized use finger picking and full chords to add some folk music elements to the ep.

Vocals are all blackened metal shouts that are very aggressive and have a sound of their own, while the lyrics cover nature themes, as for the production it has a very dark, raw and primitive sound to it.

In my opinion Aylwin are a very great sounding atmospheric, cascadian black metal band and if you are a fan of this musical genre, you should check out this demo. RECOMMENDED TRACK "Soil And Cold". RECOMMENDED BUY.

Cicadan are a 1 man band from Australia that plays a very nature orientated form of atmospheric black metal with elements of doom, ambient and folk and this is a review of their 2012 album "Mother" which was released by Eternal Warfare Records.

Drums range from slow to mid paced playing with no fast drumming or blast beats being present on this recording, while the bass playing has a very dark tone with riffs that follow the riffing that are coming out of the guitars.

Rhythm guitars range from slow to mid paced atmospheric black metal riffs that utilize some primitive elements, melody, doom metal and ambient influences being thrown into the riffing to create a sound of their own, while the lead guitars are very dark and melodic sounding atmospheric black metal guitar solos and leads, as for the acoustic guitars they use finger picking and full chords to bring folk music elements to the album.

Vocals are mostly grim sounding black metal screams along with a brief use of clean singing chanting as well as some nature samples, while the lyrics cover Green Anarchism and Nature themes, as for the production it has a very dark, raw and primitive sound with the songs being very long and epic in length.

In my opinion Cicadan are a very great sounding hybrid of atmospheric black metal and doom and if you are a fan of this musical genre, you should check out this band. RECOMMENDED TRACK "Dusk". RECOMMENDED BUY.

This is a review of another recording from Ax with the musical style this time around being atmospheric, ambient black metal with the ep being called "Glare Of Autumn" and released by RuneFire Records in the year of 2007.

Drums range from slow to mid paced playing with no fast drumming or blast beats being present on this recording, while the bass playing has a very dark tone with riffs that follow the riffing that are coming out of the guitars.

Rhythm guitars range from slow to mid paced ambient black metal riffs that are very dark and atmospheric sounding with a good amount of melody being thrown into the riffing as well as a brief use of soft and clean playing, while the lead guitars are very melodic and atmospheric sounding black metal guitar solos and leads.

Vocals are mostly grim sounding black metal screams, while the lyrics cover darkness, dying, nature and eclipse themes, as for the production it has a very dark, raw and primitive sound with some of the songs being long and epic in length.

In my opinion this is another great sounding release from Ax and if you are a fan of atmospheric, ambient black metal, you should check out this recording. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "October Winds" and "Your Time To Die". RECOMMENDED BUY.

Ax are a band from Iowa that plays a very grim and primitive form of black metal and this is a review of their 2007 album "Extirpation" which was released by RuneFire Records.

Drums range from slow, mid paced to fast drumming with only a small amount of blast beats being utilized, while the bass playing has a very dark tone with riffs that follow the riffing that are coming out of the guitars, as for the synths they are only used on the last song and they bring a very dark, atmospheric and epic sound to the recording..

Rhythm guitars range from slow, mid paced to fast black metal riffs that are very raw and primitive sounding along with a good amount of dark sounding melodies being thrown into the riffing as well as some atmospheric elements, while the lead guitars when they are utilized are very dark, primitive and melodic sounding black metal guitar solos and leads.

Vocals are all grim sounding black metal screams, while the lyrics cover darkness, anti religion, depression, hatred and misanthropic themes, as for the production it has a very dark, raw and primitive sound to it.

In my opinion Ax are a very great sounding grim, raw and primitive black metal band and if you are a fan of this musical genre, you should check out this album. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Remnant Of A Lost Soul" 'Boneshatter" and "Dance Of Dybbuk". RECOMMENDED BUY.

Acolyte are a band from the United Kingdom that has been featured before in this zine with a musical style I would describe as being dark and progressive sounding black metal and this is a review of their self released 2011 ep "Leng".

Drums range from slow to playing with no fast drumming or blast beats being present on this recording, while the bass playing has a very dark tone with riffs that follow the riffing that are coming out of the guitars.

Rhythm guitars range from slow to mid paced progressive black metal riffs that use some primitive elements, death and doom metal influences and dark sounding melodies, while the lead guitars are very dark and melodic sounding progressive black metal guitar solos and leads, as for the acoustic when they are utilized use finger picking and full chords to enhance the progressive elements of the ep.

Vocals are mostly grim sounding black metal screams with some deep death metal growls, while t he lyrics cover Lovecraft and anti Religion themes, as for the production it has a very strong, powerful and heavy sound for being a self released recording with the songs being long and epic in length.

In my opinion this is another great sounding recording from Acolyte and if you are a fan of progressive black metal, you should check out this ep. RECOMMENDED TRACK "Leng". RECOMMENDED BUY.

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

1. Can you tell us a little bit about the band for those that have never heard of you before?

1. Akaitsuki is a band started in Los Angeles, CA. We have put out an EP, Purpose of the Moon, and currently a new LP is due to be released this summer. I'm Edison, the producer and songwriter.

2. How would you describe your musical sound?

2. Our soundscapes incorporate black metal, shoegaze, and post rock influences. We also include a lot harmonies such those found in Crosby Stills and Nash

3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?

3. The EP is about anxiety, nature, unrequited love, and mysticism. And the new album's story tells the tale of a man's journey across the Pacific Ocean. Japanese and Norse mythology guides the narrative.

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?

4. The name comes from my fascination with the moon, particularly when it is full close to the fall equinox. I am of Japanese heritage and at the time I was learning the language. Thus, Akaitsukiー 赤い月, The Harvest Moon, was born.

5. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?

5. The little private gigs we would play for our friends. They were good times, we would be in the dark with our stage lights with the fog running. We would drink, smoke and play loud.

6. Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?

6. When the new album is finished we want to start touring around the west coast United States. We would love to travel to other countries and continents and make our way around in a van playing gigs.

7. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black metal, post rock and shoegaze?

7. Most of our fans come from the metal community, black metal in particular. I would love to also hear feedback from shoegaze or post rock fans, and after the next album is released hopefully there should be more.

8. Are there any other musical projects besides this band or is this a full time line up?

8. I have a couple more projects lined up right now. A solo one with more piano and shoegaze, a new band with my friend Eric Lee, and producing for some other friends.

9.What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?

9. The new album that I'm producing is a lot bigger than the last one. The drums are more explosive, and guitars are soaring around the mix. Everything is more pronounced. This is a major step forward since the last release.

10. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

10. My favorites are Radiohead, Pink Floyd, Agalloch, and Alcest. I have been listening to Gojira to capture their production quality, and bands like Cocteau Twins and Type O Negative to get that reverb drum kit down. Recently I've taken an interest to a lot more shoegaze like Slowdive.

11.Outside of music what are some of your interests?

11. I dabble in Web design, and I enjoy reading and watching documentaries. I also meet up with Eric a lot to talk about a project that we are working on, a sort of multi-media production company, laying down plans and ideas.

12.Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?

12. I'm really looking forward to the new album coming out this summer. I really think it has the potential to be something profound. Hope you check it out.

1. Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?
Right now we are recording our second album and getting feedback on the first one. We're really enjoyed of the reaction to the first record and trying to put in more music our next one, even more then we put before. We're writing lyrics and composing guitar riffs. This process is totally natural for us, just like breathing. New impressions give the birth to new lyrics and music. New songs change the point of view. And everything is moving.
2. How would you describe the musical sound of the new album?
On the one hand - we wanted to create the maximum of heavy sound (right now we're playing in the key of B tuning). On the other hand, we wanted to have a full concept with straight lines of all instruments. We don't really wanted to go away into the noise when it's not necessary and not a part of our plans. As a result, heavy, dirty, but musically justified.
3. The song lyrics cover a lot of occult and ritualistic topics, how would you describe your views on Occultism?
Music is the one of manifestations of magic. The wire is vibrating, the magnetic field is changing, people are hearing a cry or scream. Our vision of the modern world is more medieval than the vision of others. We're believe that demons and other creatures are more powerful than other people think they are. A lot of things are happening near to us, but no one can see it, 'cause everyone is looking in any other direction. People are too confident about their well-being and safety. What if everything is not like you normally think it is (well, like you were taught to think) in your school/church/family? If you're not ready to see the occult, then you'll go crazy because of the abyss that will have opened for you. That abyss will be open for sure even though you don't want it to open. The Occultism is not a dogma. It just guides us in right direction.
4. I know that the band name came from Slavic Mythology, what is it that interested you about this deity to name a band after him?
Slavic Mythology is totally different than Western mythology because the Orthodox church did not allow citizens to explore the depths of Satan or hidden knowledge. Thereby Slavic demonology is less hurt by church ideology than Western or Catholic demonology. According to the legend, Veligore was the teacher of Satanael (later - Satan). He convinced him to left Heaven and Satan came to hate god and his creatures - people. In other words, according to this legend, Veligore is the reason of everything, the root of evil. That’s why we’re so interested in this person.
5. I have read the band has yet to do a live show, do you have any shows lined up for the future and what do you plan on bringing out performance wise in a live setting?
Right now we are busy recording. But in the future we are planing performances in right places and with the right people. We will keep our fans tuned in and we will stay in touch.
6. Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or received any interest?
We would like to release our albums on some label with distribution that could help to bring our music and our ideas to those people who need them and interested. That way we can have a feedback through the part of alchemical process of musical creation. If we don’t receive the feedback then this circle isn't complete and energy won’t become action. In this case, the label and distribution are really important. That's all because of emanations from the fans to the creator.
7.The new album came out on a physical cd, what are your thoughts on the newer bands that only release music through a digital format?
The physical cd is important as an artifact and physical incarnation of the idea. Essence of substance - is a miracle of sound recording. Online releases are not an alternative to physical publishing. They are good for familiarization, or promoting. But that's only our point of view, of course.
8. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black metal?
We're satisfied by the effect. We were able to made our ideas clear and understandable. The number of our listeners are growing without any special promotion. This is not our target, this is just a symptom. We’ll keep doing what we're doing anyway.
9. What is going on with the other musical projects these days?
Everything goes. We aren't focus on our previous projects yet. It's time for something new. Old things are in the background.
10. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?
We want to keep experimenting with our sound. And of course with the expression of our ideas. Because that was the reason why we are doing it! We don't know exactly who we can become tomorrow.
11.What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
We're listening many different music with many genres. Black metal, doom, ritual music. Coven, Black Sabbath, Mercyful Fate, Venom, Tibetan Bon Singing, Sun O))), medieval music, European Black Metal like Mayhem, Watain, Darkthrone,Satyricon, Bathory, Marțolea, Svartidauði, Dødsengel, Saligia. And many more... Many of them influenced us. This is like a smelting pot inside us.
12.Outside of music what are some of your interests?
Some of us are involved in programming, some of us write poems and prose or even draw. We want to issue covers of our albums only with our art. Also we often hanging out together.
13.Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?
Among the variety of things, find the main one. Don't believe anyone and be yourself.
Regards
Veligore band

Monday, June 24, 2013

1. Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?

Sure, I’d just like to start by saying most of this interview is answered by Ian, but Derrek and Jacob have provided their input as well and such responses are marked.As of summer 2013 we are in a short hiatus as Ian is currently living in different town than Derrek and Jacob for a few months, so we haven’t played together for a little while. However, that isn’t to say that the band isn’t active in other ways. We are all writing new music for a new album that we hope to record this coming winter. September will see us be back in the same city again, so we will begin to really work on the new material starting then. Ian has also been busy getting things ready for the release of our album “Fragments of a Fallen Star,” which will be split-released on cassette by Eternal Warfare from Salem, Oregon, and our own label, Shadow of the Stone sometime in the near future.

2. How would you describe the musical sound of the newer material and how it differs from previous efforts?

That is kind of a hard question to answer, because to me, our new album “Fragments” is already old. It was recorded back in summer 2012 and has been sitting ever since. It is a different beast entirely from the “Wanderer” album though. With “Fragments” you can expect something much more influenced by something like 70s progressive rock in the aspect that it contains much more blending of genres than our previous offerings. It is some of the most dense music I have ever written, influenced by neofolk and traditional folk, drone, noise, doom and even indigenous North American music. A lot of people have told me that the “Wanderer” album sounds a lot like some early Norwegian black metal bands, but I think with “Fragments” people are going to hear quite a difference.

3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the newer music explores?

“Fragments” is less of a concept album than “Wanderer” was, but it still has some overarching themes. Nature’s power over the arrogance of man is always a foremost theme, but “Fragments” also contains themes of the concept of oneness in the universe, and thus it is hopeful in a way, even if songs like Keening seem very dark (the lyrics of which are based on a very intense dream I had about the death of the sun). As for the music being written right now, I haven’t finished any lyrics yet, but I have a feeling that tribalism and community will be a theme that comes out in my writing.

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?

Harrow is a word with many meanings. I very much like the idea of not being limited in concept by a name with a singular meaning. A “harrowing” experience can be something that may be terrifying and dangerous, but it is also transformative, a passage of sorts. A harrow is also a farming tool, used to till soil, which in its own way also has connotations of rearranging of pieces to form a new and more nutritious whole.

5. I know that the band started out as Wraith, what was the decision behind the name change?

Wraith was really just a one man project and its releases reflected that. When our first drummer, Kyle, joined the band and we actually started to play together I realized I wanted a clean slate to work with. We rewrote some of the Wraith material into some Harrow songs that we still play today, so the projects are still connected even though Wraith as it was is long gone.

6. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?

In my personal opinion our show with Alda this year in Victoria was possibly the best we have ever played. It was the culmination of a few months of stress on my part, with getting the new lineup ready for our first show, booking a tour and having to get another band over the border. However, everything went off pretty much without a hitch, and it was my first time back on stage in almost a year, our new lineup’s first performance and even our bass player’s first ever live show. Considering all these factors things went amazingly well, and the response from the crowd was the best we’ve ever had before or since.

I’d say we try to convey the intensity of the catharsis we are experiencing when we play live. It is a very intense internal experience we feel, not simply a playing of the notes for entertainment purposes. It is very gratifying to feel the audience be in sync when it does happen, it is indeed a magical (to sound completely cliché) feeling. The moment that that feeling either clicks or does not, at least for our set on our last tour, is the climax of the song “Fragments of a Fallen Star,” which ends with a tribal drum solo of sorts, in which I play bodhrán, Derrek plays a large native drum and Jacob does a sort of solo on his kit. At a certain point at each show I would jump into the crowd still playing my drum as an attempt to break the perceived wall that exists between the audience and a band. The first reaction was always shock on the audience’s part, but after a few seconds I could always tell if they were getting into it or not and it is fantastic to see people really coming together. Going back to our show with Alda in Victoria, this was one of the moments we could really tell that the room had a certain energy that each of the bands tapped into and the moment of that drum solo really made that energy release in many ways.Besides the performance aspect we also prefer to play in minimal light, purely candle light is the best, it evokes a very special atmosphere, with incense is even better. In front of the drums we also construct a small altar, usually with a deer skull on a moose antler as the centerpiece, along with other natural objects that have significance to each of us.

7.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?Nothing concrete at the moment. There are a couple potential shows in the fall in Victoria being discussed, but nothing is confirmed as of yet. We are also talking of venturing down to the US for the first time soon. Maybe next summer, maybe sooner for a smaller undertaking. Time will tell.

8.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or received any interest?

I’m not sure if we are looking to “sign” in a traditional music industry sense. If someone is interested in supporting our music we are always on the lookout. Most of our music thus far has been self-released. We haven’t had too much interest from labels in the past, but things seem to be changing with our working with first Prairie Fire and now Eternal Warfare. We may have our first cd release with a label coming up too, but we’re still ironing things out. We are interested in releasing music on all formats, so the lack of those is not due to lack of interest on the band’s part.9.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black metal?

I couldn’t really say, I honestly don’t hear much feedback besides maybe when we play shows. We barely ever get reviewed for one thing. I know we have a few fans in Europe for sure, as I get people ordering multiple things. Many people who are into Cascadian black metal in the USA also seem to be digging us. Other than those two examples I don’t hear too much positive or negative from anyone I haven’t actually met.I will be interested to hear people’s reactions to our new album, as I would have a hard time even calling it a “black metal” album, but almost everyone I have played the album for has said it is a big step forward.

10. What is going on with the other musical projects these days?IAN: My folk project, Crooked Mouth, is about to release its first full length on cassette through Preposterous Creations in France. I’m also working on releasing recordings from Kamlaniye (the old Skagos live band) on my label, Shadow of the Stone. That tape will be out before the summer is over.JACOB: My main project Walden is about to put out three new releases, two of which have been delayed heavily, ranging from weirdo blackened industrial noise to Windir as fuck monolithic melodic BM. My grindcore band Bungus has a few shows coming up and we're putting out a split 7" with Soy, as well as a split cassette with Satanic Blood Ritual from Seattle. I also rap as White Aladdin for shits and giggles.

DERREK: Apart from Harrow, Jake and I are doing a project called Moose Cavalry. It's a think tank and free jam that allows us to explore avenues that don't fit into Harrow. Though it is becoming more of an experimental sludge project than anything.Aside from that I have my personal songs I am working on, no name to the project yet as it is still very much in the ether right now.

11.What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?As for the actual new material we are writing right now (the first with the current lineup) I think the sound will end up being more stripped down. “Fragments” was about as far as I could take the dense, conceptual sound for now. Since we are once again an active live band we want to cultivate music that takes advantage of the 3 of us playing together as well as possible instead of relying too much on samples and endless overdubs that you can use when recording records. As for the actual style of the music, it is more influenced by post-rock in the sense of energy being built up to a sudden ecstatic release.

12.What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?IAN: Drudkh, Burzum, Alda, Skagos, Alcest, Hail, Fen, Hexvessel, Comus, Lasher Keen, Agalloch, and Leech are never far from my ears nowadays. Jace from Alda recently introduced me to The Flight of Sleipnir, who have been a great discovery and are already influencing some new stuff I am working on.Godspeed You! Black Emperor and good post-rock in general has been a new and welcome discovery that has definitely shaped some of our new material as wellJACOB: I've got tons of influences from almost every genre, and you'll be able to hear that in some of the new Walden stuff (sorry for the plug!) These days I’ve been listening to a heady brew of Ulver (you can never have fucking enough of those first three albums...), Empyrium, Discordance Axis, Assuck, HELL, that awesome Threnos demo, Tommy Wright III, Summoning, old Behemoth, old Cryptopsy, No Comment, Sadhaka, Panopticon, the mighty WARSORE, Ethelwulf, Chri$ Travi$, PizzaHiFive, and of course Creed.DERREK: Oh boy. What a question. Well, for Harrow, it's much of the Cascadian scene, Alda, Agalloch, Fauna and the like.Moose Cavalry and my personal music is more influenced by bands such as Pelican, Isis, Co-Pilot and Alaskan.So, all of those bands are bands/genres I would say have regular play. Outside of that stuff like the new Daft Punk album and Pucsifer have been getting a lot of play.

13.Does Paganism play any role in your music?IAN: Yes, in that it is a part of my life that influences my world outlook. I don’t identify with any kind of pagan organization, but I try to learn all I can about the traditions and gods of my ancestors, who are the Celtic and the Norse/Germanic tribes, and bring what I find to be the positive aspects into my life. I suppose I have pantheistic tendencies as well, as I agree with everything Jacob expresses below, but I also feel that ritual and tradition has an important part in our psychology. The names we give the gods is almost arbitrary, however what they represent in each of us is not.As for the band, we don’t use the pagan aspect in the sense of re-telling the old stories, but one of the main pagan traditions that has been almost a subconscious influence is the use of characters who represent certain traits of man (the gods) to tell stories of struggle and growth. We’ve also used ancient symbols like the triquetra and certain runes as they are appropriate.JACOB: I consider myself a pantheist and all of my music has been inspired by nature in some way. Metchosin (the most recent tape Walden put out), was a pure expression of joy and rapture at the beauty of some of my favorite wild places and the wonderful memories contained therein, whereas some of my other, bleaker pieces are born from anger and despair toward the lack of reverence that most people have today. The reason so many people are so out of balance today is because they have lost that integral, emotional bond with nature. Many people would walk past a clear-cut without batting an eye; whereas something like that affects me on a profoundly deep level.

DERREK: If you count my love, respect and appreciation for nature paganism, then yes most certainly. Many of the ideas and concepts for songs come when I am out hiking or fishing or just immersing myself in the natural world.

14.Outside of music what are some of your interests?IAN: I read quite a lot and have a passion for literature, mythology, fantasy and science fiction. I like playing RPGs and board games with friends when the opportunity arises too, it is so much more satisfying than online games. I also try to spend as much time as I can in nature, going for hikes and whatnot. I’ve recently taken up gardening as well and I make my own wine, mead and beer when I can.JACOB: Walking in the woods, playing my drums, listening to music, growing veggies, craft beer, bongs and enjoying the company of my friends and family. I am simple.DERREK: Well, I spend most of my free time fishing or hiking the lakes and trails close to home.Eventually I want to get a bike and a canoe and spend even more of my time out in the woods, learning all that I can.

15.Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?We’d all like to thank you for your interest and caring enough to let us share some of our views. You can keep up with us on facebook and shadowofthestone.blogspot.caThe journey continues ever onward!